Clamping ring for containers



June 18, 1940. H. A. EGGERss 2,205,135

GLAMPING RING FOR CONTAINERS Filed June 15. 1939 INVENTOR Hans A 5996/36.

BY WWW ATTORNEYS Patented June 1 8, 1940 I UNITED STATES- PATENT OFF-ICE 2 Claims.

' My invention relates to containers. It has to do, more particularly, with a retaining or clamping ring adapted to be applied to the end of a cylindrical container in order to retain a removable head or closure in position at the end of the container.

This invention is particularly applicable to containers of the general type disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 158,768, filed August 12, 1937, although it is not necessarily limited thereto. The container disclosed in said co-pending application embodies a cylindrical body portion having a metal head for closing the end thereof, a retaining and clamping ring being provided for retaining the head in position. This invention specifically relates to the retaining and clamping ring. Although the retaining and clamping ring disclosed in said application has a number of desirable features, the retaining ring constituting this invention has a number of additional advantages.

- One of the objects of my invention is to provide a retaining and clamping ring of the type indicated which is of such a nature that it may be readily applied to the container and will securely hold the head in position and may be readily removed in order to permit removal of the head.

Another object of my invention is to provide a retaining and clamping ring of the type indicated which is of such a nature that it may be used over and over again since it is so constructed that it will not be injured during its application to the container, during its use on the container, or during its removal from the container.

Another object of my invention is to provide a retaining and clamping ring of the type indicated which is split to facilitate application to the container and removal therefrom, novel means being provided in association with the ends of the ring for contracting it around the container and for locking it in contracted condition.

Another object of my invention is to provide a split retaining and clamping ring of the type indicated which is of such a nature that a separate tool is not-required for applying it to and contracting it around the container and which does not have any loose locking parts for locking the ends of the ring together.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a retain-. ing ring having my locking means associated therewith mounted on a container. Figure 2 is a detail in perspective of the looking means.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure4.

Figure 4 is an end view of the locking means.

Figure 5 is a view mainly in section but partly .in plan showing a modification of my invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another modification of my invention.

As previously indicated, my retaining and clamping ring is particularly applicable to a container and head structure of the type illustrated in my co-pending application, Serial No. 158,768. As illustrated in Figure 1, the container structure comprises a body portion I, which is preferably of cylindrical form. This body portion is preferably made of fiber board although it may be made of other material. A head 2 is applied to the end of the container. This head may be of a structure disclosed in said co-pending application and is made of metal although it may be made of other material.

The retaining ring III which I provide for retaining the head 2 in position on the body portion I is a split retaining and clamping ring. It is adapted to be contracted around the upper end of the container and is provided with a portion adapted to cooperate with the head and a portion adapted to co-operate with the body portion of the container s that the head will be held securely in position. It is also provided with novel means for contracting it around the container and for locking it in contracted condition.

As illustrated in the drawing; the retaining ring has an inwardly projecting portion l I on its lower edge which is adapted to extend into an external groove formed by bending the body portion of the container in the manner described in said co-pending application. The upper edge of the retaining ring. has a portion H formed thereon which is adapted to embrace a corresponding portion of the head 2. Between these upper and lower portions l4 and II is an outwardly curved or convex rib portion It. This portion l6 cooperates with a bead formed on the head 2 in order to retain it in position. When the split retaining ring I0 is positioned on'the container and is contracted, the head will be held securely in position on the container.

In order to contract the ring around the container and to hold it in contracted condition, I preferably provide the structure illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. This structure is associated with the ends of the split ring which are adapted to be brought into abutting relationship with each other.

This structure comprises a lug l1 secured to one end of the ring and a lug I8 secured to the other end of the ring and which are adapted to abut each other when the ends of the ring are disposed adjacent each other. These lugs are disposed beneath the outwardly projecting rib 55 I 6 and in the groove formed in the portion II. They may be welded or secured in any other suitable manner to the ring. In this position they are protected from blows delivered to the end of the container.

The lug is provided with an opening I! exte iding therethrough which has a threaded portioi 20. A screw 2| extends through this opening and is threaded through the portion 20. This screw is provided with a slotted head 22. This screw is always disposed in the opening I! in lug l1. Its end is flattened, as indicated at 23, to prevent withdrawal of the screw from the lug l1.

The lug I8 is provided with an opening 24 of tubular form extending longitudinally therethrough. The outer wall of this opening is slotted as indicated at 25. This slot extends the full length of the lug l8 and is of a width just slightly greater than the diameter of the screw 2|. The outer end of the opening I8 is counterbored or recessed to form a head-receiving socket 25. The inner surface of the lug I1 is provided with a frusto-conical socket 21 surrounding opening l9 and which is adapted to receive a frustoconical projection 28 formed on the inner surface of the lug l8.

In using the ring structure, it is properly positioned on the container. At this time the ring will be in expanded condition and the screw 2| will not be positioned in the lug l8. When the ring is being properly positioned on the container, the screw 2| may be passed laterally through the slot into the opening 25, it being understood that the screw will have been withdrawn from the lug a distance greater than the length of the lug l8. To contract the ring around the container,it is then merely necessary to rotate the screw to feed it through the lug H. The head 22 will pass into and engage the bottom of the counterbore socket 26. Continued r0- tation of the screw will draw the lugs l1 and I8 towards each other and will ultimately seat the projecting portion 28 in the socket 21. Lateral movement of the screw through slot 25 will be precluded, as long as the ring is contracted, due to the fact that the head 22 will be in the socket 26 and it is too large to slip laterally through the slot 25. To release the ring, it is merely necessary to loosen the screw 2| sufficiently and then swing it laterally through the slot 25.

It will be apparent that due to the provision of the slot 25, the screw 2| may always remain in the lug l1. Furthermore, it will be apparent that due to the provision of the projecting portion 28 fitting into the socket 21, the two lugs will be brought into alignment and held in alignment which will also cause the ends of the split ring to be in alignment. Furthermore, these interfitting portions will take the shearing stress off the screw 2| so that the screw will only be in tension.

The end of the screw 2| may be provided with a transverse opening 29 for receiving a wire seal of the type indicated at 30 in Figure 6. To unscrew the screw 2|, it will be necessary to break the seal. If desired, the lugs l1 and I8 may be provided with depending ears 3|, as indicated in Figure 6 which are provided with openings for receiving the wire seal.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated the modification of my invention. In this form, the lug I'Ia is practically the same as before. The screw 2|a is provided with an enlarged threaded outer end 32 and a smaller portion 33 which is not threaded. The portion 32 is threaded through the opening 20a in the lug Fla. The portion 33 passes through an opening 240. in the lug lfla, which opening is practically the same as the opening 2 being provided with a slot similar to the slot 25. The inner end of the opening 24a is enlarged as indicated as 34 to permit movement of the portion 32 of the screw thereinto if necessary. The head 22a of the screw, in this instance abuts the outer surface of lug l8a.

However, it is provided with a reduced portion 22b which fits into a socket corresponding to the socket 25. This structure will function practically the same as the structure previously described. In this instance the portion 22b will serve to prevent the screw from swinging laterally through the slot.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a retaining and clamping ring structure which is of such a nature that it may be easily and quickly applied to a container and removed therefrom. .It may be used over and over again. It is of such a nature that a separate tool is not necessary for applying it to the container. No loose locking parts are connected so there is no danger of loosing any of the parts.

Various other advantages will be apparent from the preceding description, the drawing and the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A split ring adapted to be applied to a container or similar article, means for securing the ends of the ring together, said means comprising a lug on one end of said ring and a similar lug on the other end of said ring, said lugs being adapted to abut each other, each of said lugs being provided with an opening which extends longitudinally therethrough, the openings of the two lugs being in alignment with each other, a screw having one end threaded into the opening in one of said lugs which is threaded and having a head on its opposite end, the opening in the other of said lugs having its outer wall slotted to permit lateral movement of the headed end of the screw into said opening, said last-named opening having a counter-bored socket at its outer end with which a portion of said head cooperates to prevent lateral movement of said screw when the screw is tightened.

2. A split ring adapted to be applied to a container or similar article, means for securing the ends of the ring together, said means comprising a lug on one end of said ring and a similar lug on the other end of said ring, said lugs being adapted to abut each other, each of said lugs being provided with an opening which extends longitudinally therethrough, the openings of the two lugs being in alignment with each other, a screw having one end threaded into the opening in one of said lugs which is threaded and having a head on its opposite end, the opening in the other of said lugs having its outer wall slotted to permit lateral movement of the headed end of the screw into said opening, said last-named opening having a counter-bored socket at its outer end with which a portion of said head cooperates to prevent lateral movement of said screw when the screw is tightened, the adjacent surfaces of said lugs being provided with interfitting portions surrounding the adjacent ends of said openings to prevent shearing stress from being applied to said screw member and for maintaining said lugs in alignment.

HANS A. EGGERSS. 

